Thursday, August 17, 2006

We’ve Arrived in Chicago

While my three favorite bloggers have been enjoying their vacations in the Northwest, Northeast and South, my family finally arrived at temporary housing in the Chicago area. Essentially, we’re homeless.

While there were some fun moments during the trip, it was not exactly a relaxing vacation, either. Even the minivan could not comfortably fit three adults, two kids and 48-pieces of luggage. I guess I have vacation-envy at this point.

Since we’re still strapped for time, I will have to post all the goings-on in dribs and drabs over the next few weeks. Problems have held up our house sale, and we need to find an apartment soon. Plus, I have to start working in earnest on Monday while leaving my wife in a 350-square-foot Extended Stay Hotel in Skokie, Illinois. Fortunately, there is a huge shopping mall across the freeway. Unfortunately, we don’t know what to buy for the apartment we don’t have yet.

To get a taste of our experiences, here is an excerpt from my wife’s e-mail to family members:

We’re heeeeere!

Oh, thank G-d. I was just about to kill someone. The drive stopped being interesting somewhere after Denver, when we were faced with nearly 1,000 miles of row crops. It was all pretty and green and all, but very, very repetitive. Zzzz ...

We’re staying in an Extendedstay America in Skokie, about 1/4 mile from the mall. The room is small and smells a little like cat pee. The motel in Omaha -- where I spent my birthday -- was even worse. It was a Day’s Inn that reeked of mildew, had wet carpets, a broken toilet and the water was too foul-tasting even to brush your teeth. We piled everyone into the car and went to a giant pizza place/arcade sorta like Chuck E Cheese on steroids. I didn’t hear any phone calls above the din, unfortunately, but thanks to everyone who called and left birthday messages. I’ll call you all on Saturday.

We get twice daily calls from the private school where we hope to enroll Seth. I’ve heard from two of the administrators, one of the rabbis (they have three, from each denomination) and two parents. We have invitations for Shabbat dinners for three weeks running, if we want them, and playdates for Seth whether he wants them or not (he does).

And I haven’t even contacted the Jewish Federation yet, which promised to send a volunteer to our doorstep to show us around. They probably will extend another Shabbat dinner invitation. I think our Friday nights are booked for a while.

As for the house sale, things are grim. We’ve hit more snags in the sale and we’re insisting on a fine of $50 a day for every additional day they stall. If they don’t sign off on the per diem tomorrow, we put the house back on the market. ...

We’re looking at the terrible prospect of having to dip into our savings to make ends me’t while we get the house sold, which we’re loathe to do. But we have to pay our mortgage still, and now rent and Seth’s tuition, so I may have to get a part-time job for a while. We’re not happy. But we’re hanging in there, and one way or another the house will get sold and we’ll be okay.

For now, I’m bushed and headed to bed. Talk to you all on Saturday.

My wife has a way with words, doesn’t she? More to come later.

NOTE: I’m using a new laptop, so some of the typography may look different than previous posts.

Comments

Glad to hear you've made it to Chicago! I think moving is one of the more traumatic life events, and I hope you will soon get a bit of stability and even down time if possible. Hope to see you in Chicago!

I hate instability... When we made the BIG MOVE three years ago, I was both excited and frustrated. As I begin middle-age I enjoy the feeling of being settled. So I understand the temporary turmoil you're having to go through. But it will quickly pass. Good luck with everything, I know you'll all be having a great time in your new city!

I'm Rayne's sister in Chicago. I'm an active member of Emanuel Congregation which houses CJDS. I have lots of friends in Lakeview and on Chicago's northside. When you are settled and if you want a guide, shoot me an email.

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